Chekkalu

Chekkalu is a simple South Indian deep fried snack.

Ingredients

1 cup rice flour
¼ cup split chickpeas (chana dal)
1 teaspoon ghee
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon paprika powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon carom seeds (Ajwain)
1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
½ cup water
Salt, to taste
Oil, to deep fry

Directions

1. Soak split chickpeas for an hour. Drain and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, mix the rice flour and ghee into a crumbling mixture.
3. Mix in turmeric powder, paprika powder, cumin seeds, carom seeds (Ajwain), ginger-garlic paste, water and drained split chickpeas.
4. Knead the mixture well.
5. Roll small quantities of the kneaded mixture into balls.
6. Flatten the balls into discs, make sure they are as thin as possible, use a tortilla press for ease.
7. Heat vegetable oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
8. Add the flattened discs to the skillet, and cook until evenly golden and crispy, about 4-5 minutes.
9. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
10. Serve or store in airtight container.